Baby powder recalled after testing finds asbestos

By Gary Dinges gdinges@gatehousemedia.com

Friday

Oct 18, 2019 at 1:20 PM

Johnson & Johnson is recalling some of its Johnson's Baby Powder after testing found it contains asbestos.

At this time, the recall, announced Friday by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, involves just one batch of the product. Any packages with lot number 22318RB should be thrown out or returned to the store where it was purchased for a refund.

The recall could later be expanded, however, to include packages with other lot numbers.

The baby powder was found to contain chrysotile fibers, which the FDA says are a type of asbestos.

The federal agency is currently testing about 50 cosmetics and beauty products to see if they contain asbestos. The tests began in 2018. Another batch of Johnson's Baby Powder tested by the FDA came back negative.

Earlier this year, products from Claire’s and Beauty Plus Global were recalled over asbestos fears.

Exposure to asbestos is known to cause several types of cancer and diseases.